This blog is all about my little seed farm in Victoria, Australia. Follow my progress as I grow and sell rare, unusual and heritage vegetable seed for local seed companies.
I have nearly ten acres now of urban farm, using empty house blocks as well as a small rural block. Check in often to see what I am up to.

Tuesday, February 18, 2014

Funny snake melons/cucumbers and other melon news

Wow, I'm so sorry, 5 days - I am so lazy. Anyway, here is my post for today.

Look at the difference between melons in the open and those grown under shadecloth in these frying summers. It looks like I will be spending up big this year and covering all my beds before next summer gets here. This experiment worked like a charm.

My melons are starting to fruit well now and I still have enough time to get them ripe before frosts. I put in a few more plants on the first of Jan because most of the others I put in November died.

They are powering away now so I should have fruit for the March Hamilton market. I just hope I have enough for the market this coming Saturday, then Merino the next week.
I am going to put in a lot more melons again next season.

If you have been reading this blog you will know that I got some 'melon' seeds from my neighbour (from Afghanistan). I thought they would be sweet melons but they have turned out to be a kind of serpent melon, which are used and taste like cucumber. These are a bit useless though as they are so skinny, and the skin is a bit tough but there is not much flesh left if they are peeled.

I think they would make interesting pickled cucumbers, just one curled up in a jar.

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About Me

I live in Victoria, Australia. I used to travel with my pack donkeys and live in the Australian bush but now that I am settled in a small town I am working for myself growing unusual fruits and vegetables.
I have started a small market garden to sell fresh heirloom fruit and veg at the local markets.